I woke up stiff. My whole body ached. After I’d stretched my back and remembered where I was, I hesitantly looked around me. There was black snow everywhere. I was still in an empty dessert, but the boring red dirt was blanketed with snow.

I stood up slowly. I was shivering from head to toe. After all they’d gone through, my clothes were thin ripped, and almost transparent.

After taking a few steps, I realised that I had no shoes. My socks were just thin strips of cloth wrapped around my numb feet.

The sky was still pitch black, the only thing to light my way was the moon. It must have been around the middle of the night, but I felt like it was nine in the morning.

Where to go? I felt so small. Like the world was moving on, with me stuck in this disheartening desert.

At last I decided to pursue the moon’s silver glow. I rubbed my hands together, took a deep breath, and began my journey.

Time flew by, but I wasn’t having fun. Gradually the black night turned into a blood-red dawn. The moon cowered below the ground while the bright sun took its place in the pastel colored sky.

The brighter the sun got, the faster the snow melted. Eventually there were only warm puddles to be seen every once in a while.

I did my best to pick up my pace.The faster I got out of this eerie place, the better. Soon enough the heat was unbearable. I collapsed onto the dirt ground and watched in horror as my skin turned red from the scorching dirt. I cried out in pain, and hurriedly stood up, trying to ignore the blazing sun’s heat.

My feet stung from standing on the painfully hot dirt. I started to run now; I wanted to leave badly. Hopelessness overwhelmed me when I saw that this desert wasn’t coming to an end.

With no water, and the sun sucking all the energy from me, I started to feel queasy. Don’t stop. I told myself. But finally, my knees gave out and I threw up. I got up as quickly as I could, because the hot dirt again burned my skin.

I continued. I was walking, but I resembled a slug more than a human. I was practically dragging my legs behind me. I wish I could drop dead at this point. I thought.

I lost my footing, and fell straight into a deep hole.